Greetings one and all — if you are sitting comfortably then I shall begin. Let’s get straight into the PSAs as I have plenty to tell you about this week. Get your calendars out, pens at the ready!
Public Service Announcements. #125: This coming weekend sees a presentation of John Hughes’ ‘The Breakfast Club’ by the A.V. Teen Drama Club at The Grange. Directed by local theatrical impresario, Marcus Magdaleno, the play will be performed on Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd, with a 7pm curtain each evening... #126 — The weekend after this will witness the 5th Annual A.V. Film Festival, once again at The Grange. Movies, seventeen in total, including some excellent documentaries, high school films, and several classics of their genre, will be screened from Friday, Jan 28th thru’ Sunday, Jan 30th. The details can be found at www.andersonvalleyfilmfestival.org . #127: After a weekend of films, it will be just about time for another Crab Feed wouldn’t you say? Well you’re in luck. The ‘Original’ Crab Feed, arguably the best pure Valley event of the year, benefiting the St Elizabeth Seton Church, will take place on Saturday, February 5th. Tickets will sell out. I guarantee it! You can get yours at Lemons’ Market in Philo, Laughing Dog Books in Boonville, or by calling Gloria Ross (895-3071), Eva Holcomb (895-3307), or John Schultz (895-9552). #128: The day after The Feed, Sunday, Feb 6th, is Super Bowl Sunday, and then on the following Saturday, Feb 12th, you will get the chance to see local resident and very accomplished actor of stage, screen and television, Rene Auberjonois appear in a play, ‘Off their Cuffs,’ along with co-star Howard Hesseman (Dr. Johnny Fever, hip DJ on television’s ‘WKRP in Cincinnati’). It’s at The Grange for one night only, with a 6:30pm social hour and curtain at 7.30pm, and is a fundraising event for the A.V. Education Foundation. #129: That’s enough ‘entertainment’ for now but something I have been remiss in mentioning in recent times is the excellent service provided for many in the form of the Bookmobile Library. Over the next month or so it will be in the Valley on Tuesdays, Jan 25th, Feb 8th, and Feb 22nd. On each of those days, they will be in Navarro from 9am-9.30am, (then off to Comptche from 10.45am-11.30am), at The Floodgate 1pm-1.45pm, Philo 2pm-2.45pm, and then the Boonville Apple Hall Building 3pm-3.45pm. Make another note on your calendars. It’s a wonderful thing.
And with that in mind, for your Quote of the Week, let’s quickly pass over Mau Tse-Tung’s negativity in proclaiming that “To read too many books is harmful” and concentrate on the far more pleasing thoughts from the 18th century social commentator and political thinker Baron de Montesquieu who said, “I have never known any distress that an hour’s reading did not relieve.” Precisely, Monty, you wise old bugger.
Moving quickly on to a couple of the topics under discussion this week at The Three-Dot Lounge, Yes it’s “Moans, Groans, Good Thoughts, and Rampant Rumors” from my favorite gathering place in the Valley.
…Who was that ‘confused’ looking young fellow whose photograph appeared in the Valley page of last week’s AVA? Despite clearly having imbibed one or five too many alcoholic beverages when the picture was taken, Hummingbird thought he was “very cute” and that concerns me.
…A couple of regulars shared a disappointing tale of a situation that has arisen in the past month or so regarding one of the many employees at a longstanding Valley enterprise. Apparently, and this is second hand and I’ve not heard both sides’ point of view, the business owners would not accept its loyal and very hard-working employee of more than three decades wishing to go part-time for a couple of years before retirement, even though he had already passed retirement age some time ago. Not only was he ‘let go,’ to use that insulting term that is so often flippantly thrown out by employers, but he was also asked to move out of the house that is on the company’s property and which he and his family had called home for many, many years. It was a pure business decision I’m sure, and presumably not personal, but I would’ve hoped for better from people round here. I guess I shouldn’t.
…Many regulars came by The 3-Dot on Sunday and had lots of positive things to say about the Crab Feed held the previous evening to benefit the Senior Center. I had to agree. Tommy Lemons’ (of Lemons Market in Philo) caught the crab, Harold Hulbert and his Crab Crew cooked it, and a whole bunch of volunteers, including the AV High School Cheerleaders (working for tips to buy their new uniforms), made sure it was served up to everyone’s delight on Saturday evening. With lots of kind donations of wine from local vineyards, gifts from Valley businesses and individuals for a successful raffle, Dean Titus and Friends providing just the right music for such an event, and of course the all-important work done by the set-up and clean-up crews, I believe the whole event was a big success. On behalf of the Seniors, Well done and many thanks to all concerned.
I’m outtahere. Be careful out there; stay out of the ditches; think good thoughts; and may your god go with you. Oh, and of course, one final request, Let us prey.” Poking and stroking egos wherever necessary and, as always, humbly yours, Turkey Vulture. PS. Keep the Faith. PPS. Contact me with words of support/abuse either through the Letters Page or by e-mail at turkeyvulture1@earthlink.net. PPPS. Before you get too ‘down and dirty with those comments, try to remember — we Turkey Vultures are Nature’s Garbage Collectors, an honorable profession, even if I do say so myself. Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me — unless of course somebody hits me with a really heavy, hard-covered dictionary.
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